Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU)

We are the lead centre for paediatric intensive care in South Central England. Our 14 bed purpose built unit cares for children from birth up to 18 years of age. 

We care for patients with some of the most complex illnesses and injuries and work closely with specialists from all surgical and medical areas. 

The unit, which looks after 950 to 1,000 patients per year from across southern and central England, is the sixth largest PICU in the UK by number of admissions and has one of the best survival rates. Children are referred to us from hospitals as far afield as Plymouth, Milton Keynes and the Channel Islands. We also have a 24-hour retrieval service.

Our team also provides medical and nursing training and has close links with the University of Southampton. We are actively involved in research and have made significant contributions to all the large national and international collaborative PICU studies.

Read our information for patients and families including details of visiting arrangements and our routines.